Agiliti Community Development Association (CDA), Mile 12, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA), has commenced construction of a N15-million Police station in the community
Chairman of the seven joint CDAs in Agiliti, Mr. Haruna Omolajomo, at the foundation laying of the Police station, emphasised the need for community policing at the grassroot.
He said the issue of security is a collective responsibility of the people and security operatives, adding that the project was initiated through the communal efforts of the seven Agiliti CDAs, namely, Agiliti Central, Agiliti Estate, Oko-Guava, Agiliti II, Ola-Oluwa, Oshorun and Fountain view.
He noted that the idea of having a Police Station in Agiliti, spanned over 20 years, especially with increasing criminal activities in some parts of Kosofe Local Government, despite efforts by relevant security agents to curb the trend.
Omolajomo said since the fracas of Mile 12 crisis of March 3, 2016, that claimed man lives and properties were destroyed, it had become necessary to have a modern operational Police Station in Agiliti.
“The community has suffered untold hardship, several reprisal attacks and external aggression with loss of life and property. The community had in the past, experienced regular burglary attacks, street cultism, oil bunkering, ritual killing, robbery and snatching of bags.
“Oftentimes, before response from Security teams arrive, the criminals would have escaped. Though, as residents, we are not just folding our arms to the security challenges. We have engaged guards and local vigilantes to assist the police, while useful information is being provided.”
He maintained that it is only in a secured environment that the desired development could be achieved, while urging the Lagos State government and concerned stakeholders to support the community in ensuring the timely completion of the police station is achieved.
The CDA Chairman further noted that the community still lacks some basic social amenities such as a recreational centre, sports arena for the youths, health centre, CDA secretariat and public secondary school, among others.
Omolajomo commended the State government for the multi-million naira road constructed for the people of Mile 12 and Agiliti, while appealing for the completion of the road.
Earlier, Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area, Princess Samiat Bada, stressed the need and importance of having a police station situated in the community, noting that insecurity challenges in Nigeria have become a clear and present danger to everyone.
Bada stressed that the security challenges in Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, especially Agiliti, is not different from the general national security issues, but noted that the challenges are localised to cultism, market insecurity, drugs or substance abuse.
Hon Femi Saheed, the lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency II, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, commended residents of the community for donating the land and initiating the project.
He further promised to give the needed support for the Agiliti Police Station project to be actualised.
On his part, the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who was represented by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Bassey Ewah, lauded the initiative, describing it as one of the dividends of the Community Policing advocacy of the Nigeria Police Force.
Odumosu seized the opportunity to solicit support of Lagosians in giving timely and credible intelligence to all security operatives in the state to enable them effectively prevent and combat crime at the grassroot.
